An integrated circuit process includes the following steps. A substrate including a first area and a second area is provided. A plurality of line patterns cover the substrate of the first area, and a sacrificial line pattern covers the substrate of the second area, wherein these line patterns separate from and are orthogonal to the sacrificial line pattern. The present invention also provides an integrated circuit formed by said process. A substrate includes a first area and a second area; a plurality of line patterns cover the substrate of the first area; a slot pattern is in the substrate of the second area, wherein these line patterns are orthogonal to the slot pattern. Additionally, a plurality of line patterns cover the substrate; a sacrificial line pattern is at ends of the line patterns, wherein these line patterns separate from and are orthogonal to the sacrificial line pattern.
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2. The integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first area comprises a dense area, the second area comprises an isolated area, and the dense area is right next to the isolated area.
3. The integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first slot pattern has a minimum size larger than a minimum size of the line patterns.
The invention relates to integrated circuit (IC) design, specifically addressing challenges in photolithography and pattern fidelity during semiconductor manufacturing. The technology focuses on optimizing slot patterns within an IC layout to improve manufacturing yield and performance. A key issue in advanced semiconductor fabrication is the difficulty in accurately printing small features due to optical proximity effects and resolution limits. The invention provides a solution by incorporating slot patterns with specific dimensional constraints to enhance pattern transfer accuracy. The IC includes a first slot pattern and line patterns, where the first slot pattern has a minimum size that is larger than the minimum size of the line patterns. This design ensures that the slot pattern remains within the manufacturing process window, reducing defects and improving uniformity. The slot pattern may be used for various purposes, such as interconnect routing, power distribution, or optical proximity correction (OPC) assist features. The line patterns, which may include conductive traces or other functional features, are constrained to smaller dimensions to maximize circuit density. By ensuring the slot pattern is larger, the invention mitigates lithography-related errors while maintaining high-density integration. The solution is particularly relevant for advanced nodes where feature sizes approach the limits of optical lithography.
4. The integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein the line patterns comprise gate patterns, fin patterns, spacer patterns or mask patterns.
The invention relates to integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing, specifically addressing the challenge of accurately forming fine line patterns during semiconductor fabrication. Traditional lithography and etching processes struggle to produce high-resolution features due to limitations in resolution, alignment, and pattern fidelity. This invention improves IC fabrication by incorporating specialized line patterns, including gate patterns, fin patterns, spacer patterns, or mask patterns, into the manufacturing process. These patterns are designed to enhance precision in critical dimensions, reduce defects, and improve overall yield. The line patterns may be used in various stages of IC production, such as defining transistor gates, forming fin structures in FinFET devices, creating spacers for self-aligned processes, or serving as masks for selective etching. By optimizing these patterns, the invention enables the fabrication of advanced semiconductor devices with improved performance and reliability. The solution is particularly valuable for nanometer-scale ICs where conventional techniques face significant challenges in maintaining pattern integrity and uniformity.
5. The integrated circuit according to claim 1, wherein the rectangular protruding part has a minimum size larger than a minimum size of the line pattern, and the minimum size is with respect to a width of a line of the line patterns and a width of the rectangular protruding part, respectively.
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May 16, 2018
October 25, 2022
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